Today's book 04/29/2016

Zero Tolerance by Claudia Mills

Mills, Claudia. 

ZERO TOLERANCE 

New York : Farrar Straus Giroux, 2013

IL 5-8, RL 5.5 

ISBN 0374333122 

Star student Sierra Shepard accidentally brings a paring knife to school when there is a lunch bag mix-up at home, but she knows the school policy and immediately brings it to a school official. She doesn’t expect to face expulsion, but a zero tolerance rule for weapons applies to all situations, even accidents made by model members involved in every aspect of the school community. (Booktalk by Louisiana Young Readers' Choice Committee, 2016)

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Today's book 04/28/2016

Wake Up Missing by Kate Messner

Messner, Kate.

WAKE UP MISSING 

New York : Walker Books for Young Readers, 2013 

After suffering various head injuries that leave them with unpleasant aftereffects, four strangers seek treatment at a distinguished, isolated, neurological clinic that promises to restore their lives to normal in record time. When they begin to experience strange side-effects and grow wary of the mysterious final treatment stages, they discover a misguided plot involving their brains and those of historically significant scientists. (Booktalk by Louisiana Young Readers' Choice Committee, 2016)

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Today's book 04/27/2016

SYLO by D. J. MacHale

MacHale, D. J.

SYLO 

New York : Razorbill, 2013 

Amidst suspicious quarantine orders for a seemingly nonexistent virus, a martial takeover by an organization called SYLO, and a new drug that gives dangerous strength to the user, everyday life is suddenly turned upside down for high school football player Tucker Pierce and his entire island community. Tucker makes the risky decision to escape to the mainland state only to find that the mysterious situation is even more extensive than he imagined. The sequels are STORM and STRIKE. (Booktalk by Louisiana Young Readers' Choice Committee, 2016)

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Today's book 04/26/2016

QB 1 by Mike Lupica

Lupica, Mike. 

QB1 

New York : Philomel Books, 2013 

Jake Cullen has big shoes to fill if he wants to follow the football legacy of his father and brother, both successful quarterbacks and celebrities in their hometown. Jake enjoys football like the other men in his family, and he has the talent and leadership skills to be great. At the same time though, he’s still just a high school kid. He feels that he must fight the extra pressure of living up to his family’s reputation in order to be himself and make his own name. (Booktalk by Louisiana Young Readers' Choice Committee, 2016)

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Today's book 04/25/2016

One Came Home by Amy Timberlake

Timberlake, Amy.

ONE CAME HOME 

New York : Knopf, 2013 

Neither Georgie nor Agatha is a typical girl of 1871; Georgie is a sharpshooter with no desire to marry, and her sister dreams of higher education. Agatha runs away with a group of men who are passing through the area to hunt the record-breaking gathering of passenger pigeons in the area, and the remains of her body are soon returned to the town with little explanation. Unable to accept her sister’s death, Georgie goes on a mission to discover what really happened. (Booktalk by Louisiana Young Readers' Choice Committee, 2016)

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Today's book 04/24/2016

Jack Strong Takes a Stand by Tom Greenwald

Greenwald, Tommy. 

JACK STRONG TAKES A STAND 

New York : Roaring Brook Press, 2013 '

IL 3-6, RL 4.3 

ISBN 1596438363 

Jack Strong is expected to do everything: sports, music, foreign languages, public service, extra-curricular activities, attend school, do homework and make good grades. He barely has a moment of anything that could be considered free time. His parents just don’t understand that he has too much in his schedule so he stages a peaceful protest by refusing to leave the couch. His attempt to win some personal relaxation time surprisingly gains the attention of the local media team, and the situation grows beyond his expectations. (Booktalk by Louisiana Young Readers' Choice Committee, 2016)

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Today's book 04/23/2016

The Heartbreak Messenger by Alexander Vance

Vance, Alexander.

HEARTBREAK MESSENGER 

Feiwel and Friends, 2013 

Quentin wants nothing to do with dating; he’s only in middle school after all, and he’s already seen the trouble it can cause. That doesn’t mean he can’t be involved as an impartial third party in the relationships of other people though, right? When a one-time opportunity to deliver a message to end the relationship of a high school guy who doesn’t know how to break-up with his girlfriend in person turns into a profitable business, Quentin becomes the Heartbreak Messenger. He encounters tears, anger, and even some good advice in a series of hilarious break-ups for hire. (Booktalk by Louisiana Young Readers' Choice Committee, 2016)

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Today's book 04/22/2016

Dogs of War by Sheila Keenan

Keenan, Sheila. 

DOGS OF WAR 

New York : Graphix, 2013 

Incorporating the history of three different wars and showing dogs in a variety of situations, this graphic novel tells the tale of soldiers and their service dogs through short stories. It highlights the heroic, life-saving acts of these soldier and dog teams as well as the importance of companionship, particularly in the midst of war. (Booktalk by Louisiana Young Readers' Choice Committee, 2016)

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Today's book 04/21/2016

The Darkest Path by Jeff Hirsch

Hirsch, Jeff. 

THE DARKEST PATH 

New York : Scholastic, 2013 

IL YA 

ISBN 0545512239 

 In this futuristic dystopia, a militant cult called the Glorious Path has begun a rebellion in the southern states that is threatening to overthrow the US government completely. Using violence and brainwashing, the organization is constantly recruiting new members against their will. Callum and his brother James have survived for years in this environment, but Cal finally seizes an opportunity to escape, attempting a dangerous mission to return home with a stray dog as a companion. (Booktalk by Louisiana Young Readers' Choice Committee, 2016)

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Today's book 04/20/2016

Counting By 7s by Holly Goldberg Sloan

Sloan, Holly Goldberg. 

COUNTING BY 7s 

Dial, 2013 

Willow Chance has always known she doesn’t quite fit in with others her age; she’s hyper-intelligent and has unconventional hobbies and interests, but she has always had an accepting and loving home to support her. When her adoptive parents are killed in an accident her perfect world is shaken. This event leads her to form a new, unique home community for herself consisting of high school student Mai Nguyen and her family, a taxi driver and a school counselor. (Booktalk by Louisiana Young Readers' Choice Committee, 2016)

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Today's book 04/18/2016

Athlete Vs Mathlete by W. C. Mack

Mack, W. C. 

ATHLETE VS. MATHLETE 

New York : Bloomsbury, 2013 

IL 3-6, RL 3.9 

ISBN 1599909154 

 Twin brothers Owen and Russell may share the same genes, but that’s where their similarities end. Owen loves sports and is a star of the school basketball team while Russell is the academically-minded captain of the math team. The two have always gotten along together without overlapping interests, but when their father and a new coach encourage Russell to join the basketball team, tension arises. The sequel is Athlete vs. Mathlete: Double Dribble. (Booktalk by Louisiana Young Readers' Choice Committee, 2016)

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Today's book 04/17/2016

Wind Dancer by Chris Platt

Platt, Chris. 

WIND DANCER 

Atlanta : Peachtree, 2014

IL 3-6, RL 6.0 

ISBN 1561457361 

Ali’s passion was horses, until the accident. Her life changed in a flash, leaving her hesitant around the animals she once loved. Since then, Ali’s brother Danny has come home from Afghanistan feeling damaged, an amputee with PTSD. Can a rescued Appaloosa horse help them both start to rebuild their lives? (Booktalk by the Louisiana Young Readers' Choice Committee)

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Today's book 04/16/2016

Shooting at the Stars by John Hendrix

Hendrix, John. 

SHOOTING AT THE STARS : THE CHRISTMAS TRUCE OF 1914 

New York : Abrams Books for Young Readers, 2014 

IL 3-6, RL 5.4 

ISBN 141971175X 

Some called it “The Great War.” History calls it World War I. This book tells the true story of the events of The Christmas Truce of 1914, the day the war paused, through the eyes of a soldier writing a letter to his mom. December 25, 1914 was a small space in an ugly time when soldiers were just people serving their countries. Ordinary people exchanged smiles, pictures, uniform buttons, and handshakes, celebrating the magic that is Christmas for one day before the war began again and loyalty to duty and country resumed. (Booktalk by the Louisiana Young Readers' Choice Committee)

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Today's book 04/11/2016

Little Melba and Her Big Trombone by Katheryn Russell-Brown

Russell-Brown, Katheryn.

 LITTLE MELBA AND HER BIG TROMBONE 

 New York : Lee & Low, 2014 

 IL K-3, RL 3.7 

 ISBN 1600608981 Young Melba Liston, born in the 1920s, loved music: blues, jazz, and gospel. She talked and breathed the beats, lyrics, and tunes. When she was seven years old she began playing trombone, and from there she became one of the most famous trombone players of all time, known around the world. (Booktalk by the Louisiana Young Readers' Choice Committee)

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Today's book 04/08/2016

Lend a Hand : Poems About Giving by John Frank

Frank, John. LEND A HAND : POEMS ABOUT GIVING New York : Lee and Low Books, 2014 IL 3-6, RL 5.0 ISBN 1600609708 Lend A Hand is a collection of poems celebrating young people who give of themselves through acts of kindness. From donating hair to provide a wig for a chemo patient to raising a puppy to assist a blind or deaf person, they are making a difference in the lives of others. (Booktalk by the Louisiana Young Readers' Choice Committee)

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Today's book 04/06/2016

Ivan : The Remarkable True Story of a Shopping Mall Gorilla by Katherine Applegate

Applegate, Katherine. IVAN : THE REMARKABLE TRUE STORY OF THE SHOPPING MALL GORILLA New York : Clarion, 2014 IL K-3, RL 3.9 ISBN 0544252306 Katherine Applegate tells the story of Ivan, a baby gorilla who is captured by poachers and sold to the owners of a mall in Tacoma, Washington. He is raised like a human child until he is too big and then lives in a cage in the mall for 27 years. After public opinion persuades the owner to free Ivan, he spends his final years at Zoo Atlanta, where he shares a natural habitat with other gorillas. (Booktalk by the Louisiana Young Readers' Choice Committee)

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Today's book 04/05/2016

I Survived True Stories by Lauren Tarshis

Tarshis, Lauren. I SURVIVED TRUE STORIES : FIVE EPIC DISASTERS New York : Scholastic, 2014 IL 3-6, RL 4.3 ISBN 0545782244 The Children’s Blizzard of 1888, the Titanic’s voyage in 1912, The Great Boston Molasses Flood of 1919, the 2011 Japanese tsunami, and the Henryville tornado in 2012 – all were disasters on an epic scale. This work of nonfiction features not only these intense events but also the experiences of real kids who lived through them. (Booktalk by the Louisiana Young Readers' Choice Committee)

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Today's book 04/03/2016

The Blossoming Universe Of Violet Diamond by Brenda Woods

Woods, Brenda. THE BLOSSOMING UNIVERSE OF VIOLET DIAMOND Nancy Paulsen Books, 2014 Violet is like most of her friends: smart and funny, but her biracial heritage sets her apart at her mostly white school. People who don’t know her ask if she’s adopted, which makes her outspoken and now curious about her family. Though her deceased father’s family has never sought her out, she sets out on a quest to meet them. Will they accept her? (Booktalk by the Louisiana Young Readers' Choice Committee)

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Today's book 04/04/2016

• Mystery On Museum Mile by Marcia Wells
  Wells, Marcia. EDDIE RED, UNDERCOVER : MYSTERY ON MUSEUM MILE New York : Houghton Mifflin Harcourt, 2015 IL 3-6, RL 4.7 ISBN 0544668502 Edmund Xavier Lonnrot is
  an extraordinary sixth-grader with a photographic memory. When Edmund's ability to recall and sketch details is revealed after an encounter with the NYPD, he learns that his talent just might be what the detectives need to break a case. Given the codename "Eddie Red", Edmund attempts to help the NYPD catch the Picasso Gang and solve the art mysteries of the Museum Mile. (Booktalk by the Louisiana Young Readers' Choice Committee)
  
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Today's book 04/02/2016

• Almost Super by Marion Jensen
  Jensen, Marion. ALMOST SUPER HarperCollins, 2014 Everyone in the Bailey family is a superhero; it is in their genes. The exciting day has finally come for Rafter and Benny to earn their amazing super powers! When the powers are bestowed, however, they turn out to be not-so-super. How are Rafter and Benny supposed to help their family fight the supervillain Johnson family with useless powers? (Booktalk by the Louisiana Young Readers' Choice Committee)
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Today's book 04/01/2016

• Crossover by Kwame Alexander
  Alexander, Kwame. THE CROSSOVER Houghton Mifflin Harcourt, 2014 This is the story of a set of twins, middle school basketball stars who are coached by their dad, a former NBA player. The boys are equally talented and work well together, but when a new girlfriend begins to split them apart, feelings of anger and jealousy develop. The novel, written in verse, emphasizes brotherhood and family bonds and has an unexpected ending that will shock the reader. (Booktalk by the Louisiana Young Readers' Choice Committee)
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